Hoe-sharpening device.



- P-ATENTED MAY 21, 1907. T. B. GRIDDLE.

HOE SHARPENING DEVICE APPLIdATION FILED JULY 14, 1906.

l /2 we UNITED STATES PATENT oriuon.

HOE-SHARPENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed July 14,1906. Serial No. 826.235.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. CRIDDLE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at VVaxahachie, in the county ofEllis and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements inHoe-Sharpening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanical de vice for sharpening the bladesof hoes such as are used for chopping out cotton and for otheragricultural purposes.

The blades of hoes, after a period of use, become dull and blunt, thusdestroying the efficiency of the hoe. It has been customary to sharpenthe edges by means of a file operated by hand, but this operation hasbeen slow and laborious, and the result has usually been far fromsatisfactory owing partly to the difficulty of maintaining the hoesteadily in position while being operated upon, and

- partly to the difficulty of imparting to the edge exactly the properslant.

The object of the present invention is t overcome this difficulty byproviding a simple and efficient and practical device including a holderfor the hoe blade, a reciprocatory file-carrier, and means for operatingthe latter; further objects of the invention being to simplify andimprove the construction and operation of this class of devices.

With these and other ends in View which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theinvention, may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hoe-sharpening deviceconstructed in accorance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 isavertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by theline 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in elevation, of the innerside of a portion of one of the leaves of the device, showing the filecarrier.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by likecharacters of reference.

The improved device includes two side members or leaves 1 and 2, whichare connected by means of hinges 3 along their lower edges. The upperedges of the leaves 1, 2 are spaced apart, and the leaves are connectedby means, such as hooks 4, connected with one of the leaves and engagingeyes 5 upon the outer leaf, said hooks and eyes being preferablydisposed at the ends of the leaves; other suitable and well known meansmay, however, be employed, within the scope of the invention, forconnecting and spacing the leaves apart along their upper edges.

Upon one of the leaves 1 there is secured a keeper 6 in which isfulcrumed a hand lever 7 provided at its upper end with a handle 8. Thislever is for the purpose of operating the reciprocatory file-carryingdevice which consists of a slide 9, mounted in guides or ways 10 uponthe inner side of the leaf 1, so as to be capable of transversereciprocatory movement. The slide or file carrier 9 is provided at theends thereof with flanges 11, for the reception of the ends of a file12, which latter may be secured in position, adjustably, as by means ofset screws 13, enabling said file to be adjusted vertically and to befirmly secured at various adjustments; this feature is important,inasmuch as by providing for the vertical adjustment of the file theentire face of the latter may be utilized, a slight change of positionbeing suflicient to displace a worn portion and to substitute a freshportion to the face in position for operation. It is also obvious thatwhen one side of the file blade is worn out, the blade will be turnedover and the opposite face exposed in position for operation.

The rear side or face of the file carrier or slide 9 has a pin or stud14 which extends through a slot 15 in the leaf 1; said pin or stud beingconnected, as by a link 16, with the lower end of the hand lever 7,which may thus be utilized to impart a reciprocatory movement to theslide. The link 16 may be dispensed with, and the lever 7 may bedirectly connected with a pin 14 by simply forming in the lever a slotfor the passage of said pin, as will be readily understood.

The leaf 2 of the device is provided at its upper edge with a notch 17,for the reception of the shank of the hoe that is to be operated upon;the leaf 2 is also shown as being provided with sockets 18, for thereception of legs 19, whereby the device maybe supported in position foroperation.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings has been shown a he, the blade 20 of which isinserted between the leaves 1, 2, of the device; the shank 21 beingaccommodated in the notch 17 while the handle 22 extends outwardly ofthe device. Springs, as 23, may be connected with the leaf 1 to bearagainst the hoe blade for the purpose of holding the latter securely inposition to be operated upon, thus dispensing with the necessity ofmanually holding the hoe while the blade is being sharpened.

It is obvious that the proportions of the improved device are socalculated that when a hole is placed in position for operation thelower edge of the blade shall be engaged by the file; the leaves 1, 2,being held by the connecting hooks at such an angle with relation toeach other that the file will be supported at precisely the proper slantwith relation to the hoe blade. It is obvious that a file blade will beused of sufiicient width to engage the edges of hoes of slightly varyingdimensions, the variation in the dimensions of the hoes being caused bygradual wear or any other reasons. Vertical adjustment of the file blademay also be effected, so that the file blade shall properly engage theedge of the hoe. The hoe blade having been placed properly in position,the hand lever 7 is manipulated to reciprocate the file carrier, thuscausing the file to abrade and sharpen the edge of the hoe, speedily,and more efficiently and accurately than it could be done by hand.

This improved hoe-sharpening device is eX- tremely simple, and it may bemanufactured and marketed at an expense sufficiently low to enable itsacquisition by individual farmers; thus enabling these necessary toolsto be sharpened at home and without having recourse to skilled labor.

What is claimed is 1. In ahoe sharpening device, a pair of leaves spacedapart at their upper edges, and a file-carrying member supported forreciprocation upon the inner face of one of the leaves.

2. A hoe sharpening device including a pair of leaves connected togetherat their lower edges and spaced apart at their upper edges, afile-carrying member supported for reciprocation upon the inner faceofone of the leaves, and means for operating said filecarrying member.

3. A hoe sharpening device including apair of leaves hingedly connectedalong their lower edges and spaced apart at their upper edges, a filecarrying member supported for reciprocation upon the inner face of oneof the leaves, a file adjustably connected to said member, and means foroperating the latter.

4. A hoe sharpening device including apair of leaves connected togetheralong their lower edges and spaced apart at their upper edges, afile-carrying member supported for reciprocation in ways upon the innerface of one of the leaves and having flanges at the ends thereof, a fileblade supported for vertical adjustment with said flanges, a pinextending from the file-carrying member through a slot in the leaf uponwhich it is mounted, and an operating lever pivotally supported uponsaid leaf and suitably connected with the pin of the file-carryingmember.

5. Ahoe sharpening device including a pair of leaves hingedly connectedalong their lower edges, means for spacing and separating the upperedges of said leaves, a file-carrying member supported for reciprocationupon the inner face of one of the leaves, and hoe-blade supportingsprings connected with one of the leaves.

6. -A hoe sharpening device including a pair of leaves supported at anangle with one another one of said leaves having a hoe-shank receivingnotch, a reciprocatory file carrier, and springs adapted to support ahoe blade in position to be operated upon.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS B. CRIDDLE.

Witnesses: GEO. L. GRIFFIN, E. D. CRIDDLE.

